Grain elevator and weigher.



No. 732,335. PATEN'DED JUNE 30,1903.

G. BRADFORD.

GRAIN ELEVATOR AND WEIGHER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 24, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES Patented. time 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GRAIN ELEVATOR AND WEIGHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,335, dated June 30,1903.

Application filed December 24, 1901. derial Np. 87,073. (No model.)

T0 all whom it floaty concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER BRADFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Elevators andWeighers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide in that class of grainelevators and weighers wherein the grain is elevated by an endlessconveyer and wherein the weighing mechanism is first started intooperation by a predetermined weight or quantity of grain and wherein theoperation is completed by positively-driven devices, including acontinuously-moving part (usually propelled from a shaft of theelevator) and an intermittingly-moving part, an improved engaging orclutching device, whereby the continuouslymoving part is engaged withand caused to drive the intermittingly-moving part at the proper timeand for the proper period, as will be hereinafter more particularlydescribed and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a side elevation of the upper end of an example of the type ofelevator in question and the weighing mechanism carried thereby; Fig. 2,a side elevation of the other side thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical sectionalview, on an enlarged scale, as seen from the point indicated by thedotted line 3 3 in Fig. 1; Figs. 4., 5, and 6, transverse sectionalviews, on a still further enlarged scale,

of the weighermechanism-operating countershaft and immediately adjacentparts as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows fromthe dotted lines 4. 4, 5 5, and 6 6, respectively, in Fig. 3, showingespecially the engaging or clutching devices, which are the particularfeature ofmy present invention; and Fig. 7, a detail sectional viewsimilar to a portion of Fig. 3, but detached and on the same scale asFigs. 4., 5, and 6.

The elevator proper is, generally speaking, of a well-known form, whichit is unnecessary to describe at length. Briefly, the type showncomprises two tubes 1 and 2, a suitable head 3, and a lower part. (Notshown.) Through these parts the chain or belt 4, carrying flights orbuckets 5, move continuously while the elevator is in operation. Uponthis structure the scale-beam 10 is suspended, which carries thegrain-receiving box 11, and said box is arranged to be counterbalanced(with its load) by a weight 12, said box preferably being steadied by alink 13, pivotally connected to an adjacent stationary part, as the pipe2. The mouth of the head 3 has a swinging gate 6, and the grain-box 11has a swinging gate 14.. These gates are respectively adapted to beactuated from an intermittiugly-moving shaft 20 by suitableconnecting-rods 7 and 16, respectively. So far the apparatus issubstantially like former mechanisms for the purpose.

Upon the intermittingly-moving shaft 20 I mount a hollow shaft or sleeve21, having a wheel or pulley 22 upon the outer end, by which it isdriven, and provided with a clutch member 23 in the shape of a toothedwheel or pinion upon the inner end. This sleeveshaft 21 is drivencontinuously by a belt or chain 8 from the upper elevator-shaft 9 in amanner which is common to machines of this character. Surrounding thepinion-like clutch member 23 is an annular guard or housing 28, which issecured fixedly in place (being preferably mounted on the bridgetree orframe part, which carries the shaftbearing) and has an open under sideof a form and size adapted to receive the other clutch member, as willbe presentlydescribed. Fixedly mounted upon the shaft 20 is a hub .24.,and pivotally attached to this hub is the clutch member 25, which is ofa formadapted to swing up inside the guard or housing 28 into engagementwith the pinion-like clutch member 23. This is carried upon the pivot 26and is kept from improper sidewise motion by the jaws 27, so that whenthrown up into engagement with the pinion-like clutch member 23 it willbe strongly and accurately held to position while doing its work. Theopening in the annular guard 28 being at the under side, theclutch-finger 25 will when the force which raises it is withdrawn becaused to drop out of engagement by its own weight. To better insure aninstantaneous disengageio.,in contact, and saidshaft is thus preventedfrom revolving until one of said arms escapes from its contact with theother, which happens when the grain-receiving box is filled, (andovercomes the counterbalancing-weight 12,) at which times it descendssufficiently to carry the contact-point of the arm 30 below and freefrom the contact-point of the arm 31. Secured also to the arm 30 on thegrainbox 11 is a plunger 35, the lower end of which passes through aguide or ear 6 on an adjacent non-moving part. Mounted on acorresponding part at a point immediately below this plunger is apivoted lever 36, the other end of which extends out under and forms asupport for the clutch finger or member 25. The plunger 35 is soadjusted as to strike the lever 36 just as the grain-box reaches itslowermost position when the arm 30 carried thereby, has escaped fromitsengagement with the arm 31. The lever 36 is thus caused to throw thefinger 25 up inside the annular guard or housing 28 and into engagementwith a notch in the periphery of the pinion -like clutch member23,which, as before stated, is continuouslyin motion. The shaft 20 is thuscaused to revolve and through the connecting-rods 7 and 16 operates thegates or valves 6 and 14, as will be readily understood. The plunger 35may, as shown, have a screw adjustment and is thus capable of beingpositioned with great accuracy. The lever 36 and linger 25 being bothpivoted at or near one end will fall back promptly to their normalposition when pressure thereon by means of the plunger is relieved. Thishappens instantly thegrain-box is discharged of its load, as it then atonce reascends to position to receive a fresh charge. The annular guardor housing 28 is cut away at the point where the finger 25 enters justsufficiently so that the escaping of engagement between the clutch partswill take place just before the arm 31 reaches and comes in contact withthe stoparm 30 on the grain-box at the time a full revolution of theparts is completed. Being in motion, however, and aided by the slightfriction of the sleeve-shaft 21 on the shaft 20, the motion willcontinue until the arm 31 comes in contact with the arm 30, althoughwith this device actual contact between these parts is not of greatimportance. This clutch mechanism is certain and positive in itsoperation, not depending upon friction or uncertain engagement to startit into operation, and withal is of a simple, durable, and inexpensiveconstruction.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a grain elevator and weigher, of acounterbalanced grain-receptacle bearing a stop, anintermittingly-moving part adapted to be stopped and held at apredetermined point thereby until released, a continuouslymoving part, apinion like clutch member carried by said continuouslymoving part, afinger-like clutch member carried by the intermittingly-moving part, alever carried by an adjacent stationary part extending out under andadapted to move said finger-like clutch member, a strike carried by thegrain-receptacle adapted to come into contact with said lever as saidgrain-receptacle descends and thus throw the clutch members intoengagement, and a guard or housing surrounding the pinion-like clutchmember and serving to hold the two clutch members into engagement untila revolution is completed.

2. Aclutchforactuatingthegate-operating mechanism in a grain elevatorand weigher, consisting of a constantly driven toothed wheel,acounter-shaft,a pivoted finger mounted on said counter-shaft and adaptedto be thrown into engagement with said toothed wheel, a guard mounted onan adjacent sta tionary part and nearly surrounding said wheel buthaving one open side whereby said counter-shaft when said clutch isthrown into engagement is driven a single revolution and the gates thusonce opened and closed, and means actuate-d from the grain receptaclewhereby said clutch parts are thrown into engagement as the receptacledescends.

3. The combination, in a grain elevator and weigher, of a suitableconveyer-trunk having a discharging-head at the top, an endless conveyerpassing through said trunk, shafts and wheels over which said conveyerpasses, a movable cut-off gate to said discharging-head, a scale-beam, agrain-receptacle mounted on said scalebeam and having adischargingopening, a movable gate to said opening, a counter-shaft, awheel revolubly mounted on said countershaft constantly driven while theelevator is in operation, a stop connection between the counter-shaftand the grainrecept-acle which is in engagement when said receptacle isin its upper position but which becomes disengaged as said receptacledescends, connections running from the counter-shaft to the movablegates arranged to close one as the other opens, and means for throwingthe said constantlydriven wheel and the counter-shaft into engagement(and thereby causing said shaft to be driven from said wheel) consistingof a toothed wheel retoothed wheel at the same time the stop connectionsbetween the counter-shaft and the grain-receptacle become disengaged.

4:. The combination, in a grain elevator and weigher, of the trunk, thedischarging-head, a grain-receptacle, gates to said discharginghead andsaid grain-receptacle, a scale mechanism carrying said grain-receptacle,an intermittingly-moving counter-shaft, connections from saidcounter-shaft to said gates whereby as said counter-shaft is revolvedsaid gates are opened and closed, a constantlymoving clutch part drivenfrom the elevatorshaft, a second clutch part carried by theintermittingly-moving counter-shaft, and a strike carried by thegrain-receptacle adapted to throw said clutch members into engagement atthe moment said grain-receptacle becomes loaded and descends and to riseand thus permit said clutch members to become disengaged as the load isdischarged and said receptacle thus reascends, the engagement of theclutch members being thus eifected by the direct force of the descendinggrain-receptacle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 21st day of December, A. D. 1901.

CHESTER BRADFORD.

Witnesses:

ALBERT F. ZEARING, O. S. FRYE.

